California Dreaming
by RavensBear
Summary: Regina Mills has worked her entire career to finally land the Chief Lifeguard position at Huntington State Beach. But her disdain for surfers ensures that one Emma Swan, as well as the other local surfers, will be a thorn in her side all summer long. But will the summer heat melt her heart and let love in?


A/N Okay this story has been sitting on my computer for a year and a half. I am wondering if it's worth continuing so your feedback is really appreciated! As I am winding down the tail end of Falling in the Frey, I was looking for my next story to write...if there is interest, it will be this one. Yes, it will be SwanQueen of course!

Thanks to Elodealeaf for beta reading this chapter. I miss you 3

As always, this is for Bear from your California Girl ;)

 **California Dreamin'**

Chapter One

Regina Mills smoothly pulled her black Mercedes into the parking spot marked _Chief Lifeguard_ at precisely 7:50 am. She gave a cursory glance around the small parking lot of the Huntington State Park headquarters building, noting that the only other vehicle present was an official State Park Ranger patrol car. The familiar logo, similar to the state's flag, a yellow circle surrounding a yellow outline of a grizzly bear, graced the driver's side door of the brown vehicle.

Today was the first day of her new assignment, a plum position at one of the most popular state parks in California. She knew from her fifteen years of experience that first impressions truly did matter; in another month she would don the familiar red bathing suit and red nylon sweats that her entire staff would wear throughout the spring and summer.

But today was an office day and she had carefully selected a burgundy power-suit, complete with matching three-inch heels and a crisp button down white blouse. Her raven black hair was professionally styled, makeup meticulously applied, and her jewelry, expensive, yet subtle. The diamond earrings had been her grandmothers; they, as well as a generous inheritance, had ensured that she could choose the career path that she wanted, despite her mother's objections. She flipped down the driver's side visor to double check her appearance and decided that another layer of dark lipstick was needed to complete the image of a powerful, sensual woman.

She knew her professional record spoke for itself; each beach she had managed had the lowest incidents of drowning, near-drowning, and injuries in the entire state park system. Her seasonal staff found her firm, but fair, and there was an overall sense of pride for those who worked under her tutelage. The full-time office staff usually found her demanding, but extremely competent. Most would grudgingly admit that though her mercurial moods were a challenge, there was usually good reason if she was angry at someone. She was under no pretense that anyone truly liked her, and she knew that every time she left a park for a promotion to a bigger one that the staff had, at the least, a happy-hour toast if not a full out party that she was gone.

She didn't care. Her goals were simple and straightforward; to run a tight ship she had to hire the best people, improve on the beach's safety record, ensure that budgetary goals were met, and be home in time to gather her son, Henry, from school. Today would be an exception to the last rule. She needed to know the pulse of the park from the morning through sundown. As it was only mid-March, the days were fairly short and she knew she would be home to relieve the babysitter no later than six pm. Plenty of time for a late supper and to ensure that Henry's homework was complete before he went to bed at eight thirty. He had argued for a later bedtime, but she held her ground for the time being. After all he was only eleven and in sixth grade. She promised him they would reassess his bedtime once he started junior high school the following year.

Just as she slid out of her vehicle and straightened her skirt a motorcyclist in a leather jacket pulled up next to her car. She put on her neatly pressed suit jacket as he tugged off his helmet to expose a bearded man in his mid-thirties. He gave her a friendly smile. "You must be Regina Mills." He walked towards her, removing his right leather glove and offered his hand. "I'm August Booth, Head of Maintenance."

She returned his friendly smile with a tight one of her own. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Booth."

"Call me August." He removed his other glove and stuffed them in the pockets of his leather jacket. "Come on, I'll show you around and take you to your office. I think you'll find we're a good staff to work with."

She opened the rear door of her car and extracted a briefcase before followed him towards the sand colored brick building that would be her new place of employment. The warmth from the heater struck her as she entered the rectangular shaped building. It was identical to the other park offices she had worked, with the beach facing wall divided into four offices and rest of the space comprised of cubicles and a small kitchenette for break-times.

"Where'd you come from?" August tried to strike up a conversation.

Regina decided that it would be best to have this man as an ally, so she flashed him a disarming smile and shared her story. "I've been at South Carlsbad for the past three years, San Clemente before that and San Buenaventura before that. How about you?"

He unlocked the glass entry door and held it open for her to pass through. _Always a gentleman, I'm sure._ She mused.

"I've been here two years. I came from Doheny where I worked up from seasonal, to part-time, to full-time and finally assistant department head."

"Impressive." She admitted, knowing that Doheny was one of the most popular parks in the system, both for camping and for the day-use area. Like Huntington State Park, it was known for its excellent surfing. It was also infamous for its riptides and for what was dubbed 'the lagoon', which was the mouth of the San Juan River that ran from the Santa Ana Mountains. Depending on the tide, the current either ran fresh water to the ocean or salt water to the lagoon. It posed safety problems that she was glad she wouldn't have to deal at Huntington Beach.

"It was one heck of a learning curve there. I'm glad we only have to deal with day-users here at HB." He added as he started up the coffee pot. The small bell on the door range at 7:58 and another bearded man walked through the door in full ranger uniform. He spied Regina and August chatting and made his way over to them.

"Mornin' August." He greeted the maintenance man before turning to Regina. "Ms. Mills, a pleasure to meet you again." He remembered her from the large round of applicants who came through the office in mid-January. "I'm Graham, the Chief Ranger." He put out his hand and she warmly shook it. "Do you mind if I call you Regina?" His Scottish brogue was quite pronounced.

"I'd prefer Ms. Mills." She stated plainly. "It's how my seasonal staff will address me, so it makes it simpler if everyone does. Even you." She looked at both men to ensure that August knew that it applied to him as well. She knew that it would also give her a professional advantage. They wouldn't see her as one of the guys, but rather a step apart from them. And from there she would quickly rise to a step above them. Technically, she and Graham were equals, but she would use every asset she possessed to carefully gain the upper hand in the power structure.

She seemed to catch them by surprise, but Graham recovered quickly. "Of course." He nodded seriously as he sized her up for the first time. He knew right away that he was in trouble, professionally speaking.

She was nothing like her predecessor, a mild mannered man named James, who barely lasted the season. James left in late December for a smaller beach that was better suited for his skills. That left a much coveted vacancy in one of the top parks in the state's system. Graham wasn't privy to the selection process for the new Chief Lifeguard, but a couple of phone calls to colleagues at other state parks gave him a fair picture of Regina Mills. He had mixed feelings about working alongside the infamous woman. She had been called a variety of adjectives such as competent, ball buster, standoffish, professional, stubborn and smart. The Chief Ranger from South Carlsbad had told him that 'She was hell to work with, but Graham was lucky to have her.' At that moment, he hated that he had a weakness for powerful women.

"Well, since August is giving you the nickel tour, I'll get out of your way." He refilled his cup of coffee and added one sugar. "If you need anything and I'm out of my office, you can reach me on channel six." He gave a tight smile and turned away.

August conceded that she was a gorgeous woman, but no matter how beautiful her tanned shin, shiny dark hair and sharp brown eyes might appeal to others, his taste ran towards the sun-kissed men that graced the beach all season long. He had, awhile back, nursed a crush on Graham. But when he realized that Graham was hopelessly straight, he followed his number one rule and let it go. _Never fall in love with a straight man._ It was a lesson he had learned the hard way, and he had no desire to repeat it.

"This way." August cocked his head and led her to the far left of four doors. "Home sweet home." He grinned as he bowed and extended his arm towards her office.

Regina walked through the doorway, taking account of every inch of her office space. It was similar, though a bit larger, than the office she had at South Carlsbad State Beach. A flat-screen computer monitor sat in the center of a sturdy oak desk in the corner. Two wire baskets sat side-by-side. Paper labels stating _Inbox_ and _Outbox_ were taped to the front of the baskets. Her mouth tightened when she saw that the _Inbox_ was overflowing.

August noticed the basket, too. "Michael, our administrative assistant, tackled the paperwork that he could, but he doesn't have the authority to handle the things in your Inbox."

"That's fine." She assured him. "I'm sure it won't take long to clean it out." She turned and faced him. "What about office keys and passwords? Do I get them from you or Graham?"

"I'll get you the keys now. There's a whole key-ring full, so you can decide which to keep with you. I'd appreciate you returning the others to me for safekeeping." He waited for her to nod her acknowledgement. "Michael starts at 8:30 every morning. He's the computer guru of the office, so he'll help you with your passwords or any problems you may have."

Regina glanced at the clock. It was 8:07. "That's fine. I expect you'll have no objection to me having a cappuccino maker in my office. You can inspect it, of course, to ensure it meets electrical standards."

He gave a small shrug. "Not a problem. Just let me tag it so we're compliant for the maintenance report. I'll go get your keys."

He disappeared around the corner just as the front bell rang again. Regina immediately began rearranging her office, moving her desk to face the doorway, so that she could see whoever entered her office. The desk position also ensured that others couldn't see her computer monitor as she worked. She had nothing to hide; she never surfed the net or checked her personal e-mail while at work. But it was a matter of principle that she should have professional discretion allowed for her work in private. She had just set on moving a filing cabinet when two men entered her office.

"Your keys…" August handed them to her before he took a corner of the cabinet. "… and your Assistant Chief Lifeguard, David Nolan." The blond man, dressed in the official red nylon lifeguard uniform gave a quick hello before he, too, grabbed the cabinet.

"Against that wall please, gentlemen." She pointed towards the side of her desk. "So I can access them from my chair." The two men made quick work of moving it to the requested position, and within ten minutes, had moved all of the furniture to her preferred spots.

"If you need any more help, please don't hesitate to ask." August smiled. "But for now, duty calls. I'm also available on channel six if you need me."

That left just Regina and the blond man that August had introduced as her assistant lifeguard. "Mr. Nolan." She sat down in her padded office chair and gestured for him to sit in the straight-back wooden chair across the desk. He did so with a smile that she was sure was meant to disarm her. She did not return the smile. "You're late." She said, resting her arms on the sides of the chair and crossing her legs at the ankles. She looked regal even in the small, sparse office.

His smile immediately vanished. "I'm sorry, the traffic was heavy."

"Mr. Nolan, this is southern California, the traffic is always heavy. In the future, I expect you to take that into consideration when you leave your house and arrive here no later than eight o'clock sharp, ready to work."

A frown marred his handsome face. "Of course." He had no intentions of starting off on the wrong foot with his new boss.

"I assume you have plenty of work to keep you busy today, so I'll let you get to it while I settle in. Tomorrow I want to meet at eight o'clock so I can review the lifeguard policy and procedures manual with you. I also want your full assessment of last season's operations." She held up a manicured hand to belay his protests. "I assure you that I'll give the official report a thorough read through, but as I'm sure you know, the official report isn't the most informative document outside of statistics and budgetary information. I also want you to compile a list of last year's seasonal guards and your personal recommendations for rehire. Any questions?"

She was pleased to see that David Nolan looked a bit overwhelmed at her list. "Mr. Nolan, you've been Assistant Chief Lifeguard for three years, am I correct?"

"Yes, that's correct." He nodded.

"And am I also correct in assuming that you applied for the Chief Lifeguard position?"

He knew better than to lie. "That's true."

"Then remember that they hired me for the position, not you. Do your job well and we'll have no problems." She studied him closely, daring him to look her in the eyes. When he finally glanced up, she continued. "I've taken the liberty of studying your employment file and can help teach you some of the key skills you'll need to know if you want to run your own beach someday." She leaned forward and put her elbows on her desk before adding in a serious tone. "I'd be more than happy to mentor you."

x~x~x~x

Emma Swan rolled over in bed when her snooze alarm went off for the third time. She peered menacingly at the clock, hoping to shut off the annoying Taylor Swift song that played through the clock's tinny speakers. _Shit._ She thought as she tossed the covers down to the end of the bed and swung her feet over to the floor. 2:16pm, written in red digital numbers, stared back at her from the clock's display. It had been a rough night, as evidenced by the bruising on her fists and her swollen jaw, that had gone on until after four in the morning as she chased down the idiot who skipped out on his court date and had cost her boss over fifty thousand dollars in bail money.

She finally tracked him down in a Wal-Mart parking lot somewhere in Brea, where he had put up quite a fight before she managed to subdue his sorry ass and turn him into the police. But the ten percent reward of five thousand dollars had been worth it; at least she'd have more than enough money to cover her half of next month's rent, utilities and groceries, as well as a fair amount left over to get the clutch in her yellow VW bug rebuilt. _Might even get my board re-waxed._ The thought immediately cheered her up.

She padded over to the bathroom and looked at herself in the mirror. Pushing back the unruly, long blonde curls, she set to brushing her teeth and tending to her sore hands. _At least the skin didn't break._ She thought as she headed to the kitchen to find a Ziploc bag in hopes of making a make-shift ice pack for her swollen right hand. She grabbed her phone from the kitchen counter and checked her messages. No voicemail, but two text messages awaited her.

 _12:45pm from Doc. You heading to HB today?_ She skipped replying to him and went on to the next message.

 _2:00pm from MM Blanchard. Surfs up! Offshore winds and high tide at 3:55pm. You coming?_ She laughed at her roommate's old school slang. Mary Margaret Blanchard was an elementary school teacher. The only things she loved more than teaching was surfing…and her long-time boyfriend, David Nolan.

 _Screw it._ Emma thought, turning away from the kitchen and heading back to her bedroom. _The ocean's cold enough to help my hand._ She quickly dug out her wetsuit from the top of her closet and her bathing suit from the bottom dresser drawer. She threw her bathing suit on and covered it with a pair of cut-off denim shorts and a navy blue Quicksilver t-shirt that Mary Margaret had given to her for Christmas. She grabbed her favorite old sweatshirt, embossed with USC across the front, and a slipped on pair of sandals. It didn't take her long to attach her longboard to the rack on her VW, throw her gear in the back seat and head towards Huntington State Beach.

Afternoon traffic was mercifully light and Emma made it to the beach in good time. She pulled past the empty fee booth, which wouldn't be manned until early May when the tourist season and warm weather hit, and headed down the long parking lot to the end near the pier. She pulled off her t-shirt and shorts and shoved them into a canvas bag, before tugging on her black wetsuit over her emerald green one-piece swimsuit. She only pulled it partway up, leaving the top half unzipped and hanging down around her waist. The day had been unseasonably hot and as she walked the top inch of the gritty sand warmed her bare feet, while the underlying layers cooled them. It was a familiar and pleasant sensation.

The beach was fairly empty and few tracks had been made in the sand since it had been raked earlier in the day. She followed the trail of disturbed sand, already walked on by fellow surfers, to the berm before the shoreline, where she carefully set her bag in the dry sand next to her sandals. Lifeguard station number One was boarded up and she hung her towel on a metal crossbar that was on the lower part of the tower. A sign warned her that there was _No Lifeguard on Duty_ , as she zipped up her wetsuit and headed with her board towards the ocean.

Emma watched from the water's edge for a few minutes, assessing the frequency of the waves and the way they were breaking. She quickly put her blonde hair in a French braid as she continued to watch the waves curl over and break. She recognized two of the surfers immediately; Mary Margaret was riding towards her on a decent left-breaking wave. Archie, along with his dog Pongo, were riding a smaller wave. Emma smiled as she watched the dog's tail wagging as he adjusted his stance on the front of Archie's board.

Mary Margaret laid back down on her board as the wave closed out. Emma smiled and waved at the pixie-haired brunette and was rewarded with a toothy grin from the teacher. Mary Margaret slid off her board and paddled to shore. "You came!" She enthusiastically greeted Emma as she carefully put the tail of her board on the sand.

"Can't let you have all the good rides, now can I?" Emma teased back as she watched Pongo jump into the water and chase after Archie.

Mary Margaret looked at the dog, too and laughed. "Leroy made it too. So did Ruby. Oh she got a new short-board this year. Great design with a wolf sketched on it."

"Nooo." Emma feigned shock. "She's going over to the dark side!"

"Oh no, she prefers the longboard, but she just wanted to mix things up a bit." Mary Margaret assured her as they headed into the surf and began paddling on their boards out to the line-up where the surfers were hanging out, waiting for a good wave. "I'm really glad you made it, Emma."

"Thanks, me too." The blonde responded before she tossed her board over a medium-sized incoming wave and dove into its face to get past it. She got back on her board and finished paddling out to join the others. "Where's David?" She asked as she watched Ruby catch a decent wave on her new shortboard. Mary Margaret was right, Ruby was getting decent at doing tricks that required the shorter length board.

"He had to work today. The new boss started and he wants to make a good impression on her." The both were watching the set of lines that were coming inland, forming new waves.

"Hold that thought." Emma said before she maneuvered herself into position to catch the first wave. The four foot beauty was holding its form, thanks to the off-shore winds that kept it from breaking early. Emma popped up and got her feet under her in time to cut down the wall of the wave and then cut back up to the lip just before it curled over and formed a small pipe. The wave was breaking towards the pier, what the surfers called a left-handed wave, so she turned her board the same direction to stay inside the pipe, just ahead of the break. She cut back as the wave was petering out and rode it for a moment more before she laid back down on her board, grabbed the side rails and turned to paddle back out to the line-up.

"Nice ride." Mary Margaret praised her as she lined up next to Emma.

"Thanks. So is David coming after work?"

"I hope so." Mary Margaret smiled. "And I know he brought firewood for a campfire tonight after dark."

"Fun." Emma replied just before her roommate positioned herself for a wave. _There's room for two._ Emma decided as she quickly paddled to catch the wave, too. As she rode it out to the shallow surf, she noticed the Yellow Lifeguard Jeep patrolling the beach.

"I thought they didn't patrol till next month." Emma commented to her roommate as they returned to the line-up.

Mary Margaret watched the Jeep as it drove to the pier and turned around. The male driver was pointing towards the famous wooden structure that divided the state beach from Huntington City Beach. "It's David driving, I think. Maybe he's taking his new boss for a tour."

"Any idea what she's like?" Emma asked as she sat on her board and waited for the next good wave. She could only see that a brunette woman who was dressed in a business suit; quite out of place in the topless Jeep.

"Nope. David promised to fill me in tonight. I hope she's easy to work with, the last thing he needs is more stress in his life."

"How's his mom doing?" Emma begrudgingly let a good wave pass so they could continue their conversation.

"Better, she's out of the hospital at least. But she has to be in a nursing home for a few weeks for rehab. Hopefully she'll be able to go home by early June." Mary Margaret noticed Emma letting another wave go by. "Emma, we can talk at home. The waves are too good to just sit here and chat." The brunette paddled in a bit and managed to catch the next line that formed into a decent sized right-handed wave.

Emma caught the larger wave that was right behind it. They spend the next hour in comfortable silence as they each communed with the Pacific Ocean and the waves it offered for them to ride. It was nearly sunset when they and the other surfers finally called it a day and headed to shore for the campfire.

David was already at the campfire ring, stacking the roughhewn pine logs into a teepee shaped configuration, when Emma and Mary Margaret tiredly trudged over and sat in the beach chairs around the concrete ring. David bent down and gave the brunette a quick chaste kiss before he greeted Emma with a smile. "I hoped to have the fire already going." He stated as he added the kindling and lit a match to it. It didn't take long for the small tinder to catch, and soon the logs were enveloped in red and orange flames.

"Don't worry about it David. It gave us a chance to change into dry clothes." Emma tucked her hands into the front pocket of her sweatshirt.

"Either of you want a beer?" He asked as he opened the small ice chest next to his chair.

"Sure." Emma said, licking her salty lips. "I don't have to drive for a while."

He popped off the metal cap and handed the brown glass bottle to her. He then opened two more and handed one to Mary Margaret.

"How was work?" The brunette asked him as Archie, Pongo, Ruby and a handful of other familiar faces joined them around the fire ring.

"Ah." He paused. "Let's just say I have homework tonight for a very early meeting tomorrow."

"Homework isn't a bad thing." The teacher pouted at her boyfriend.

"It is when you're thirty-two years old and just want to relax for the night." He laughed softly as he took her hand and loosely interlaced their fingers. "I think she's just testing me. I say bring it on." He poked a stick at the fire, pushing a log back to the middle of the ring, watching as the flames licked at it before it finally caught fire.

Emma silently watched the exchange. She heard the bravado in David's words, but she knew it was a ruse. "What's her name?" She asked, deciding that some investigative work was in order.

"Regina Mills, but we have to call her Ms. Mills." He took a swig of his beer, letting the bitter taste settle in his mouth before he swallowed it.

"Hey guys, mind if we join you?" Emma looked up at the intruder and playfully rolled her eyes.

"Hey Leroy." David nodded. "You're welcome to join us." Soon there were seven new guests around the campfire. Emma was grateful for the heat that radiated from the flames. The sunset had been gorgeous with its hues of red and orange, but the damp air had cooled considerably with dusk.

One of the men quietly asked Emma. "Did you get my text?"

She mentally sighed before answering. He seemed like a decent guy, but she didn't really know him and she definitely wasn't interested in more than a surfing buddy. "I did, Doc, but I was already on my way here. I didn't see you surfing today."

"I was planning on it, but I got an emergency call from the office. One of my patients went into labor and was having complications."

"Did it turn out okay?" Emma turned and faced him in the firelight.

"Oh sure, once we got the first one out the rest were no problem."

Emma nearly choked on her beer. "How many babies did she _have_?"

"Seven." He said casually. "Real beauties, too, great bloodlines. The offered me pick of the litter in exchange for my services today." It was then Emma remembered he was a veterinarian.

As the group of friends sat around the warm campfire ring, Emma smiled at Ruby who offered the blond another beer. "Nice board." Emma teased. "Too bad it's so little"

"Hush now." The younger woman shot back as a toothy grin spread across her face. "I don't want you begging me to ride it when you get tired of your old board."

Emma glanced fondly at her longboard that was secured to the top of her VW. "Never gonna happen." She sighed contently as she took a swig of her fresh beer.

The traffic on Ocean Avenue had picked back up as commuters worked their way back home, but the group was too busy watching the darkening ocean to see the lights of the Mercedes as it rolled slowly past them.

x~x~x~x

Regina Mills had spent the majority of her day pouring over reports, as well as a variety notes that her predecessor had left her. She had mercifully been left alone, except for the two times Michael had popped his head into her doorway and asked if she needed anything. The first time, he came bearing coffee, which she gratefully accepted.

"Oh my God, that's a Marco Bian suit." He commented, coming around the desk to admire her outfit. "And Lola pumps, _tres chic_."

Regina coolly thanked him for his compliments before giving him a list of questions as well as requesting the passwords to access her computer and the network. The second time, he returned with the answers to her questions, as well as a gentle reminder that she had yet to take a break and it was already two thirty in the afternoon. He offered to run to grab her some lunch before she assured him she had brought her own from home.

She read his concisely compiled answers that he had formatted into an organized and well-written report. Tapping her manicured nail on the top of the oak desk, Regina decided he was worth keeping an eye on. He had already proven his value in both his work ethic and his taste in fashion. She had noted that he was sharply dressed, and he obviously knew that she didn't buy her clothing off the rack, so perhaps he could advise her on some local upscale shops in the area. _I could use a few new blouses._ She decided.

She ventured into the hallway under the pretense of going to the woman's room. She passed the three other offices, making a stop in two of them; the last one was used as a conference room.

"August, tomorrow at ten a.m. I need a copy of the maintenance report regarding all the lifeguard supplies and vehicles. If I'm not at my desk, leave it in my inbox." She firmly requested before leaving his office.

"Graham, we need to set up a time to meet within the next two days so we can discuss these items." She handed him a sheet of paper with ten bulleted topics. "I'll check in with you before I leave tonight to determine a mutually acceptable time."

"David." She walked by his cubicle on the way back from the restroom. "I assume there is a vehicle available so you can give me a tour of the beach this afternoon?"

He resisted the urge to stand in her presence. "Yes, of course." He said as he saved the report he was working on for the next morning's meeting. "What time would you like to go?"

"Four o'clock. Bring the Jeep around to the entrance and I'll wait there."

"Yes, ma'am. I'll see you then." He felt a trickle of sweat run down his shirt. He knew he couldn't afford to lose this job, especially with his mother's medical bills piling up.

"Do you need an extension for your reports?" She asked as she peered at his computer screen.

He felt it was a test, and he refused to fail. "No, I'll have everything ready tomorrow morning for our meeting."

"Good. I'd hate to be disappointed on my second day at work." She turned on heel and walked back to her office.

At four o'clock Regina was waiting impatiently for David to bring the Jeep around front. He pulled up and immediately apologized for being two minutes late. "The gas tank was nearly empty." He said, leaning over to open her door.

Despite her tight skirt, she gracefully stepped up into the Jeep. "Let's start at the southern park boundary and work our way up to the pier." She said, deliberately ignoring his excuse.

"You got it Chief." He smiled and put the Jeep in gear. She decided that, though casual, the nickname was suitable, since it was part of her job title.

They slowly toured the two mile strip of coastline that encompassed the boundaries of the beach. "Who manages the wetlands?" Regina asked, referring to the park map in her hands.

"Department of Fish and Game. You'll meet Dr. Whale at the monthly interdivisional team meeting.

"Doctor as in medical?" She thought it was an odd fit.

"No, Doctor as in PhD. Botany, I think."

"That makes sense." She noticed that the beach was sparsely populated, outside of the group of surfers near the pier that were enjoying the incoming tide. "Are they the locals?"

"More or less; it gets busier on weekends and as the weather warms up. From Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend, surfing is restricted on weekends, so they'll head over to Bolsa Chica State Beach."

"Why not go to Huntington City Beach?"

"Rival surfers; mostly short-boarders who are very territorial of their beach. Last year they cut one of our surfers off of a wave and he nailed his head on his board. It was a pretty nasty injury, and when she saw he was hurt all the city surfer did was laugh."

Regina watched them for a few moments before asking. "So who's going to be the biggest pain in my ass?"

"I'm sorry?" Confusion was evident in both David's expression and his tone.

"Mr. Nolan, I expect that you know those people better than anyone else on staff. So don't act so naïve. I'll ask you again…who's the one surfer that I need to worry about butting heads with?"

"Hmmm." David watched as the blonde woman caught a wave and rode it till it broke. He hated to name names; to pinpoint one person that his boss would target. But he knew she expected an answer, so he quietly said. "Emma Swan."

"And which one is Miss Swan?" She jerked her head towards the group of surfers.

"The blond one near the shore."

"Thank you, Mr. Nolan. I'm ready to go back to the office now." She turned and faced forwards as David turned the Jeep around and headed back to the administration building.

Regina spent the next two hours reorganizing her files and making an agenda for the meeting with David before she shut off her computer and walked to her car. The sun was just above the horizon and she watched it slowly sink as she drove along the parking lot towards the exit.

She noticed one group of beach users gathered around a campfire ring. As she drove closer, she saw the surfboards, carefully placed in the sand, surrounding the group. They were too busy watching the sunset to pay attention to her, but she narrowed her eyes when she saw David Nolan sitting amongst them, his arm securely around a woman with pixie cut hair. _Mr. Nolan, it seems I need to have a little chat with you about the company you keep._ She growled before she drove away and joined the line of traffic that was heading north.


End file.
